Jo’s Monday walk : Culatra- an easy amble

I’m going to be a bit lazy for my first walk back with you.  After all, I’m still in the Algarve, nominally on holiday, but in fact testing out a new lifestyle to see if it suits me.  Many of you won’t be surprised to find that it does.  I have taken you to Ilha da Culatra before, but my Stroller friends were going there recently and I just had to tag along.  I’m sure you’ll see the attraction.

Culatra is an island of fisherfolk, but it doesn’t spurn the attention of tourists or beach worshippers who make the effort to cross over from the mainland.  I regularly promote Enjoy the Algarve, a monthly online magazine full of fascinating events and details.  Culatra features briefly this month and I thought you might like to see a little more.

Smooth as a millpond
Count the seabirds?
Boats for working and pleasure

Embarkation from Olhão is an easy affair.  Ida e volta will get you a return ticket.  We chose to disembark at Farol, the second port of call on this long, barrier island, guarded by a strut of a lighthouse with a red cap.

Weaving between a few cottages and a restaurant, almost immediately you reach the beach.

I couldn’t decide quite what the waves were jumping so playfully over, but they held me captive so that I had to scoot to catch up with the others.  Of course, you can linger at the beach for as long as you like, but the walkers are single-minded folk and food was a top priority.  A boardwalk turns inland, leading back to the village of Culatra, the first port of call.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the bougainvillea
You can feel the heat!
Abandoned?
Maybe I’d stay at this one
With it’s delicious flowers

To escape the heat of the sun there are several restaurants.  As usual I was more interested in my surroundings than food, so I grabbed a quick bite and set off again with my camera.

This villa was opposite my restaurant
The shells were set into the wall
Making a grand image
Another contender for favourite flower
Half a boat is better than none?
No idea who they support?
Here’s a clue
Another pot or two
And a simple veranda

It’s a very basic lifestyle.  Sand and sea rule and necessities have to be shipped from the shore.  As I’m writing this a thunderstorm is rattling overhead and I know that the islands are in the frontline for inclement weather.  Hard to imagine on a day like this, but I’ve heard this ocean roar.

It’s a gritty shoreline
With green hued urchins
Abandoned boats aplenty
And even acrobatic seagulls
And the distant gleam of sandbars

There’s an element of scruffiness that doesn’t suit everybody.  No manicured greens to tee off on here.  But I was highly amused to find, right by the water’s edge, a miniature football pitch.  Evidence of another Portuguese passion!

And then it’s time to make for the ferry, wending back past ochre houses, idle bikes and always a twist or two of flowers.

The still calm waters of Olhão await, Becky.  No changes yet!

I hope you’ve enjoyed being back in the Algarve with me.  I still have another week or so to go.  My daughter joins me on Sunday so I expect to be quite distracted but I’ll try to post another walk next week, and keep up with comments on this one.  Take good care till then!

Please find time to check out these walks, if you haven’t already done so.  Many thanks to all of you for your loyalty and support, even while I’ve been absent.  Special thanks to Meg and to Jude for lovely birthday surprises for me.

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I am a huge admirer of this lady’s work, so thank you very much for joining me, Debbie :

Street art galore

Another lady who always produces beautiful work.  Take yourself strolling with Susan :

A Saturday Stroll at Wave Hill

A Leisurely Sunday Stroll through Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery

I wonder what Jackie might have cooked up this week?

Home cookin’

There’s nothing like good company on a walk.  Tobias has a style all his own, and I love it :

Perigueux

Les Jardins d’Eau

Candy takes me to parts of Brittany I didn’t even know existed :

Pilgrim Route and Chapels

There’s much more to Birmingham than meets the eye, and you can rely on Becky to find it :

Dragons, Rags and Shiny Things

What’s Woolly been up to?  Keeping very busy!

Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk39_Le-Hamel_Australian-Memorial

Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk40_Le-Hamel_Australian-Memorial-2

Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk41_Tank-Monument

Carol explores her own backyard, but Australia’s a big country :

Staying Up, Looking Out

I do love a garden, and Cadyluck Leedy has a really fine one to share :

Jo’s Monday Walk : Sandhills Horticultural Gardens

And a place I’ve always wanted to visit :

Jo’s Monday Walk : Mont Saint Michel, France

Why not try it Marsha’s way?  The scenery is beautiful, even if the company is grumpy :

Why We Didn’t Take the Train to the Grand Canyon from Sedona

How to Get Someone Out of a Grouchy Mood Even if you’re at the Grand Canyon

I wouldn’t have expected to miss fog, but Jude’s walk on misty Bodmin is hauntingly lovely :

The Cheesewring

And finally, Kaz gladdens the heart with a gazillion, glorious jacaranda!

Jacarandas of Woolloomooloo 

Much love to you all from my sunny Algarve home.  See you soon!

 

166 comments

  3. What a gorgeous area, Jo, weather, boats, flowers, scruffiness and all! I can see why you are attracted to the Algarve. Does this mean I would have to visit you there if we are ever to meet in the future? 🙂 Love those blue skies and the feeling of vacation exuding from your wonderful images. I am surprised that those monohull boats on the wet sand are not leaning over at all… a curious thing.

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    1. If it goes to ‘plan’, Liesbet, you’d have a much better chance of finding me there than in north east England, and I suspect that might suit you better. 🙂 🙂

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  4. I love the bougainvillea and the yellow houses! This simple life seems very appealing to me. And I agree that you are a very generous blogging friend. I’m planning to start a linkup myself, but I doubt that I will ever be so on top of it like you are 😉 Have a lovely time with your daughter, Jo! Here’s my latest ramble. http://coellefornia.us/mount-umunhum/

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    1. After 6 years of blogging you make a lot of friends, Kathrin, and I have to admit that’s all that keeps me here. Plus I have so much beauty to share, don’t I? Many thanks for your kindness and constancy. 🙂 🙂

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  5. Wonderful photos from Algarve. We have spent one week in Praia da Rocha and loved the place. I just published our 30 years anniversary wedding photos from Las Palmas.

    Have a wonderful day!

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  9. “As usual I was more interested in my surroundings than food, so I grabbed a quick bite and set off again with my camera.” I would have done the same. This upcoming “basic lifestyle” would suit me to a tee.

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  12. A perfect stroll Jo, you know me, make it flattish and I’m happy. Add the sea, blue sky and flowers and I’m ecstatic 🙂 Thanks for the link to the magazine, I think I have a photo of the man with the bulbous guitar thingy. I remember reading about suadade somewhere before, or perhaps it was a radio program, fascinating, would it be wrong for me to say I get it?
    Enjoy your last couple of weeks sweetheart, especially with your lovely girl. Big hugs x:-)x

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    1. I completely get Saudade, Gilly. Even somewhere as sunny and lovely as this has a sad side. There;s talk of destroying these homes. Just where the fisherfolk are supposed to live is beyond me. Love you, darlin 🙂 🙂

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  17. Ahh…Jo, my heart sings seeing these wonderful uplifting photos and learning about Culatra. 😀😃The flowers are astonishing and such a welcome burst of colour on a grey November morning. Oh, oceans can be mesmerising and I often lag on walks as I stay, stare and photograph! Thank you so for letting us tag along on your visit to the island and lucky that the weather was good for you all. A change of lifestyle…are you thinking of moving to Portugal permanently? Wishing you a wonderful time with your daughter. xx❤️

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    1. I am, Annika. It’s been part of the ‘plan’ for a long time but until Dad died last year there was no real prospect of putting it into operation. Our son finally seems to be getting to grips with the real world (he had a great time out here with his lady and her little boy last week 🙂 ) so, if not soon, when? I celebrated 69 last weekend. A frightening number. Time I got on with it! 🙂 🙂

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      1. Yeah!!😀 Exciting times ahead for you, Jo and sometimes you have to wait for the time to be right and not push against it. Glad things are sorting for your son too…that’s always a relief! I hope you’ll keep us posted about the move etc…and I just love the idea of walks in the sunshine and warmth during the winter months.

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